Morning journal and courier., 1887-08-27
dr. Miller had spoken very slightingly. Nj

| Mr.. Miller had spoken very slightingly. Mr..
| Wade was out of town, but found q general
| interest in the Wade-Miller controversy, and
naturally almost unanimous sympathy for
Mr.. Wade. think Mr.. Milier's estimate of
his antagonist must be at fault, for in Mr..
Wade's own city 1 could find no one who
would speak disparagingly of him. James
town newspaper men, city officials and the
public generally appear to hold him in the
highest esteem. He is one of the foremost
| lawyers in western New York, and the bust
ness house of which he is q member has
reputation for solidity and integrity which is
more than local.
had one really enjoyable interview with
young Jamestowner-enjoyable because the
party interviewed talked SO fairly and cans
didly; and above all things have wanted to
get simply fair, impartial statement of
both sides in writing up this skeleton in the
Chautauquan closet Said he:
81 am cottage owner, but have taken no
part in the controversy. I do not take any
stock in Mr.. Miller's argument that the cot
tagers are merchandising So are the board
ing house keepers of New York and Chicago
and every other city, but they pay no ten per
cent. tax. The butcher and bookseller and
other stOrekeepers at the grounds are mer~
chandising for the reason that they have the
exclusive rights in their various lines of bust
ness. They get something for their money,
the removal of all competition, If keeping
bo rders is on the same basis, with unlimited
competition, then why is not ten per cent.
collected from every newsboy and water lily
boy, and cat-tail boy, and railroad ticket
broker on their sales! On the other hand,
don't think the tax a grievous imposition.
We can afford to pay it and not raise
| on prices for board I think it is put
| on false ground, however. Let it be called
tithe, bestowed in the interest of the cause
of education. No one can estimate the
amount of good which has been wrought by
| the fourteen assemblies which have been held
| at Chautauqua, We forget how an influence
| for good has gone out which has literally
encircied the globe. We ought to hold our
private fancied wrongs in allegiance for the
sake of such stupendous works if possible.
Rather than check such q work would
willingly pay twice large a com anaission.
But think the present arrangement is ille-
| gal SO far as original lease holders are con-
eerned, and certainly the merchandising ar
| gument is illogical"
| ::'How do you regard this assessment as a
| business matter? Is the tax fully and faith-
| fully paid over by the cottagersf'
"Not at ALL At best, with all the spies
and detectives in the service of the assembly,
| the tax only nets the association from So, 900
to s., 600 year. Now you can take your pen
Gil and figure for yourself. If during the
present month alone the attendance has av-
eraged 10000 day, and 4, 600 of these have
been in cottages paying 81 day (a low esti-
| mate), there is 81, 900 received each day, or
| $120, 900 in the month. Thus during the
month of August alone the assembly should
receive $12, 900 in this way The actual re-
ceipts by the assembly have not exceeded
| S3,0 900 for the whole season. The system is
| one which appeals only to the honor of the
| cottagers, and it will always be inequit-
| able for the reason that many will success
fully evade it. Yet think the proposition
of the cottagers to fix tax of IS cents per
| bed quite as inequitable."
Thus torn and rent with internal diseord
is Chautauqua at present. Chautauqua,
which for fourteen years has been enshrined
in the hearts of a large portion Of the Ameri-
| can public-Chautauqu the hitherto per-
| feet flower of Christian culture.
But even now as I write the sun is begin
ming again to gild the roof-tops here after 4S
| hours of dreary, almost unremitting cloud
and rain. Let us hope that the physical
change is prophetic of speedy return of
good feeling and concession on all sides in the
higher relations of those who have to do
| with the peace or discord of the place.
| A. L. S.